By Calvin Landrus
If you have been to the South, you know there are a lot of churches. Also, you may have noticed that there are almost as many Waffle Houses as there are churches. If you are a new visitor to the South, the chain that is described as a "regional cultural icon" on Wikipedia catches your eye constantly as you travel about because they are everywhere.
This past February, I was traveling in Alabama for SRCFC's Chandler Mountian Challenge at Horsepens 40 with two young guys who could seriously eat. Having eaten at a Waffle House on a prior trip, I knew it was a place to get cheap, hot food, so on a rainy, cold night we went in to get a full belly.
When we were greeted by our waitress with "Hey ... what y'all havin'?", one of guys asked her what her favorite menu item was. Her response was as far away from the training manual as it could be: "I've worked here so long that everything tastes gross to me."
Let that sink in...what kind of a Waffle House witness was she? If the owners of the chain would have heard that statement, she would have been fired on the spot. Do you think God ever feels like firing some of His witnesses?
Before we get too high and mighty or give in to the I-can't-do-it-mentality, we all probably have been less than the best witness we could have been. And that's OK because we know that even as Peter desperately failed to be a witness of Christ in his denial (John 18:15-27) he still went on to share the Good News of Christ with many.
In fact, listen to his encouragement in 1 Peter 3:13-17 (NIV): "Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. 'Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.' But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. For it is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil."
Three take-a-ways from this passage from Peter:
1. Expect Adversity: We have an enemy who will put up a fight for souls of those not yet following Christ. Additionally, many will automatically resist any suggestion that they should submit themselves to a higher authority than themselves. This pride can make them hostile to the message of Christ. Witnessing will have moments of suffering, usually just emotional but sometimes it can be physical too. Be ready for it.
2. Own Your Witnessing Story: Can you share your testimony in three to five minutes? Your story should have three parts: A. Life before I knew Christ, B. How I came to know Christ and become a Christian, C. What my life has been like since I've become a Christian. And since we are a witness of Christ, spend the least amount of time on part A, spend a bit more in part B and spend most of your time sharing the difference Christ has made in your life.
3. Be Kind and Stay Open: Train ourselves to become conscious of where our non-Christian friends are in life. We need to be tuned in to their hurts and fears. Remember the truth of a phrase probably used too often - "People don't CARE how much we KNOW about JESUS...until they KNOW how much we CARE about them."
I try to put what I say into practice. As a way to witness to a local climber, I invited her to help with a SRCFC meal via an email invitation. She wrote back, "Although I really appreciate the offer, Solid Rock is a cause that I am morally conflicted with and would not feel comfortable volunteering for. I understand that it's your life and I would never directly disrespect it, however I personally cannot get involved. My friendship with you is outside of any connection with Solid Rock and strictly based off of you being a cool guy."
A natural reaction for me would be to be hurt and then avoid crossing paths with her. But on my very next visit to Smith Rock after her email, God made sure that our paths crossed. When I pulled into my parking stall, she got out of her car right next to mine. It was a moment for me to put my faith into action, walk-over to her and re-connect. Please pray for her as I continue to be a witness.
Connecting back to the Waffle House story, I filled my tummy with a very good pecan waffle that night. Although our waitress's witness was not very good, it still didn't reduce the substance of the hearty food the Waffle House is known for.
In the same way, our non-existent or poor (and even great witnessing for that matter) has no effect on the message of Christ. It is timeless and life-changing and it's a privilege that is entrusted to our care for sharing to a world that needs it. So just be a witness and leave the results up to our Lord, Jesus Christ!